Process of and apparatus for washing off the felts of polisher runners in glass-polishing apparatus

ABSTRACT

258,967. Pilkington Bros., Ltd., and Griffin, J. H. July 7, 1925. Flat extended surfaces, surfacing.-The polishing runners of a glass polishing machine are washed without interruption of the operation of the machine by introducing a washing table between the runner and the glass whereby spent rouge &amp;c. is removed. The glass is carried by tables 1 which travel on guides 2 beneath the polishing runners 9. The runners are carried by a shaft 7 which may be raised or lowered by a lever 12 and hand-wheel 10. On rails 19 parallel to the guides 2 is mounted a framework 17 having thereon girders 16 which may be brought into register with transverse girders 15 on the frame 4&lt;a&gt; of the machine. When the runners are to be washed, a washing table 20 carried by rollers 22 on the girders 15 or 16, is run between the raised runners and the table 1, the runner is let down on to the table 20 and is washed; it is then raised and the table run out on to the girders 16. In a modification, Fig. 3, the washing table 20 is carried, in a position above the tables 1, by wheels 23 on rails 24, and may be moved along the machine to any desired set of runners; when not in use, the table is located between runners or at the end of the machine. The washing table may be employed with apparatus in which the runners operate on the lower surface of the glass. The Provisional Specification also describes washing- apparatus in which the table or the carrying frame may be supported, or partially supported on the glass, and the contact between the glass and the plate &amp;c. may be made by means of rollers.

Nov. 11, 1930. J GRIFFIN 1,781,226

PROCESS OF AND APPARATUS FOR WASHING' OFF THE FELTS OF POLISHER RUNNERS IN GLASS POLISHING APPARATUS Filed June 17 1925 Inventor Patented Nov. 11, 1930 UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE JAMES HARRIS GRIFFIN, 01 8'1. "HELENS, ENGLAND, ASSIGNOR TO PILKINGTON BROTHERS LIMITED,"OF LIVERPOOL, ENGLAND raocnss OF-AND APPARATUS non wnsnme one run news or IBdLISHER summits m GLASS-POLISHING nrrnna'rus Application filed June 17, 1926, Serial No. 116,524, and'in Great Britain July 7, 1925.

This-invention relates to the process of and apparatus for washing the felts of. polisher runners in glass polishing apparatus and has for its object a process and apparatus whereby the felts of any runner can be washed while the runner is in position above the polishing apparatus.-

The invention is more particularly applicable to the continuous glass polishing process and apparatus.

In all lass polishing apparatus in which rouge em added in felts 'is employed as the polishing medium, the rouge is supplied to the felts during a portion of the period of polishing, and then the supply is stop ed, the remainder of the polishing being e ected by the rouge embedded in the felts, which has a finer polishing effect as the polishing operation is continued. When the polishing operation is finished, and the felts have to be used for a new polishing operation, the rouge embedded in the felts is too fine for effective working at the early stages of the operation, and it is washed out of the felts by subjecting them to a plentiful supply of water, before a fresh supply of rouge is made. a

In ordinary lass polishing apparatus of the rotating tab e type, the above mentioned difierent treatments of the felts succeed one.

another with the succession of difierent polishing operations, but in the continuous polishing apparatus in which the glass travels slowly beneath rotating, but otherwise stationary, polishing runners, each one of these runners is doing the same work all the time, and it has been found that their olishing action is not maintained efi'ective by continuously supplying their felts with rouge, by reason of the amount of rouge emhedded in the felts, which has become spent hy continued action.

According to this invention, the felts of any polishing runner are from time to time, brought into condition for efiective olishing by washing the spent rouge and dirt out of them and renewing the supply oi rouge, without removing the felts or any portion 0 glass, and without interrupting the motion position. A

f dotted lines. the runner from their position above the v of the tables of the polishing apparatus or" the action of the other polishing runners. In the accompanying drawings Figure 1 is a transverse section ofthe polishing apparatus showing in elevation the washing apparatus; i Figure 2 is a side elevation of the same, and

Figure-3 is a transverse section of the polishing apparatus showing an alternative form of the washing apparatus, and omitting. certain portions of the polishing apparatus, which are the same as those shown in Fi re 1.

eferring to Figures 1 and 2, the series of tables 1, sliding on guides 2, is driven in the customary way through a rack 3. A

ered; in said figures it is shown in its raised air of runway irders 15 are attached to t e framework g1rders 4: .one on each side of the runner, and similar runway girders are provided for each runner of the polishing apparatus. (In Figure 2 the girders 15 are behind the girders marked 16). Another pair of runway girders 16 is supported at the side of the polishing apparatus by a travelling framework 17 provided with wheels 18 running parallel with the polishin apparatus, on rails 19. The runway gir ers 16 are adapted to register with the runway girders 15 and are shown in the drawings in registration therewith.

A. washing table 20 is suspended from the runway girders 15 by means of standards 21 carrying rollers 22 running on the girders, and, when the 'i'ders 16 are in register with said runway girders 15, the table 20 can be run from the position in which it is shown in full lines, where it is over the table 1 and under the polishin pads 9, on to the travelling framework 1%, where itv is shown in The washing table 20 is a plate of glass or 7 other smooth substance and may be provided with shields to prevent the water used in washing being thrown out. A pipe 26 is provided to supply water to the table.

.The method of operation is afollows The travelling framework 17 is run on the rails 19 to bring the runway girders. 16 thereof into register with the runway girders of the particular polishing runner, the felts of which are to be washed. The polishing runner is raised into the position shown, and then the washing table 20 is run beneath it .along the runway girders 16 and 15; the

polishing runner is then let down on to the washing table 20 and is rotated thereon while water is supplied in quantity through pipe 26. When'the washing is completed, the

washing table 20 is removed by reversal of the above described operations, and the polishing runner is in condition to resume its operation on the glass onthe table 1.

In the alternative form of apparatus shown in Figure 3, in which the samereferen'ce numerals indicate the same parts as in Figures *1 and 2,'the washing table 20 is permanently over the table 1 but is capable of being run along it bymeans of its supporting wheels 23 the second-named tracks into position be- I tween the polishing head and the first-named tables when the former is moved vertically upward clear of the table, and means on said wheeled table for cleansing the polishing heads.

In testimony whereof. I have aifixed my signature hereto.

JAMES HARRIS GRIFFIN.

running on rails 24. When not in operative position, the table 20 is kept in the space between two polishing runners or at the end of the polishing apparatus. With this-form of the apparatus the felts of the polishing vrunners are conveniently washed in succession from one runner to the next along the whole length of the polishing apparatus. Hooks 25 are then provided on the table 20 whereby the table may be lifted by a crane and travelled and let down into position on the rails 24 at the start of the apparatus or between any two polishing runners.

The table 20 may be faced with glass.

The invention is not confined to the two forms of apparatus shown and described which are given as convenient forms and as examples of means whereby the process may becarried out. a

In the above specification the invention has been described with reference to polishin by then; Ion of rouge and water embedded in felts because these materials are those ordinarily used, but it is equally a licable to any other lishin medium and liquid and any suitab e material other than felt. Further, thewashin device may be applied to a group of polis ing runners insteadof to a single runner, and in the specification onliy an claims the term polishing runner is to be taken as including a group of polishing runners, and the term felts is to be taken as including suitable polishing materials other than felt.

The invention is also applicable to lass polishing processes and apparatus in w ich a plurahty of polishin runners are used which are to be used, as area is practicable, continuously. 

